24 BIRDS OF ICELAND 



Corvus cornix, Linn. Hooded Crow. 



Native name: 'Kraka.' 



An occasional visitor from the Faeroes, where it is 

 very common. 



Easily recognised from the rest of the Corvidse 

 visiting Iceland by its ash-grey mantle and breast, 

 contrasting with the purple-shot black of the rest of 

 the plumage. Even quite young birds are not likely 

 to be mistaken for those of any other species. 



Corvus frugilegus, Linn. Rook. 



Native na^nc : ' Knika.' 



For some occult reason, young Rooks seem to visit 

 the Faeroes pretty regularly, and I have seen a con- 

 siderable number of skins from those islands, very few^ 

 of which have been those of adults with bare chin and 

 nostrils. They seem not uncommonly to extend their 

 wanderings to the south of Iceland, and even occasion- 

 ally to the north also. I have seen several skins at 

 Akureyri, and was told that they had been obtained 

 in the neighbourhood. My indifference, in one case, 

 as to the acquisition of such a rare bird seemed, I 

 remember, rather a puzzle to the owner, who considered 

 himself justified in asking ten kroner for it. 



The young Rook is, as is well known, very much 

 like the young Carrion Crow (C. corone), and has no 

 bare skin round the base of the bill, but the usual 



